METRO -- King Antonio LXXXIX Bill Mitchell looks up at the confetti as he and his aides enter the Arneson River Theatre during the 80th annual Texas Cavalier River Parade, Monday, April 11, 2011. JERRY LARA/glara@express-news.net

METRO -- King Antonio LXXXIX Bill Mitchell looks up at the confetti as he and his aides enter the Arneson River Theatre during the 80th annual Texas Cavalier River Parade, Monday, April 11, 2011. JERRY

FOR METRO - Eva Longoria (left) talks with her sister Liza Longoria after Eva received a check for fifty thousand dollars from King Antonio LXXXIX Bill Mitchell (not pictured) for her charity Eva's Heroes at

FOR METRO - King Antonio LXXXIX Bill Mitchell (left) and Eva Longoria pose for pictures with a check for fifty thousand dollars that Mitchell presented to Longoria for her charity Eva's Heroes at the Westin Riverwalk Monday April 11, 2011. (PHOTO BY EDWARD A. ORNELAS/eaornelas@express-news.net)

FOR METRO - King Antonio LXXXIX Bill Mitchell (left) and Eva Longoria pose for pictures with a check for fifty thousand dollars that Mitchell presented to Longoria for her charity Eva's Heroes at the Westin

That's how many years the Texas Cavaliers have hosted Fiesta's River Parade; the number of floats this year; and the amount of money the group's charitable arm donated to Eva's Heroes, the nonprofit that helps developmentally disabled children and young adults, founded by this year's grand marshal, Eva Longoria.

And that was just the largest chunk of cash. The Cavaliers will distribute $200,000 to a total of 43 children's charities, said Parade Marshal Mark Johnson, resplendent in the distinctive blue jacket and cherry red pants that make up the Cavaliers uniform.

Johnson had an air of satisfied fatigue about him, no doubt from the countless hours he and at least 150 other Cavalier volunteers put in each year to make the nation's largest river parade a reality. As many as 250,000 people were estimated to be massed along bridges and River Walk business patios to take in the floats.

His hard work was rewarded with “the order of the red plume,” as this year's King Antonio LXXXIX, William Franklin Mitchell announced to the crowd sitting at the Arneson River Theater, where Cavalier families have gathered for decades to celebrate.

But the crowd saved its biggest cheers for Longoria, who thanked the Cavaliers for their donation to the charity that was inspired by her sister, Liza.

“We were founded here in San Antonio,” she said to cheers, and the Cavaliers' donation “will help kids right here.”

Energetic Eva

After a pre-parade reception, Longoria, in a black shorts jumpsuit with a crepe tuxedo jacket, said in a private interview that she was exhausted from her nonstop book tour for her cookbook, “Eva's Kitchen,” but the excitement of helming the Texas Cavaliers River Parade was the jolt of energy she needed. She said she wore the jumpsuit “because it's so hot.”

Her outfit was reminiscent of her tuxedo jacket and shorts she wore on a recent David Letterman appearance that led to a viral video with a wardrobe malfunction.

She said the money would be used for a Passport San Antonio program at Eva's Heroes that would provide special needs kids the opportunity “to see all the things that other kids get to see.”

She also had a big thank-you for the Texas Cavaliers, “who do so much to raise funds for children's charities, and it's nice to see them utilize their funds in organizations that have a direct impact on the San Antonio community.”

Emilio and Merlinda Garcia, from San Bernardino, Calif., marveled at the festivities around them at the South Presa Street Bridge as they took in their first River Parade. They were visiting their sons, Daniel Casillas and Emilio Jr., whose hats were as popular as the decorative barges.

As two boats packed with Marines streamed by, the young men leaned over the bridge as cascarones dangled from their sombreros, which were topped with brightly colored donkey piñatas.

“Mom, Mom, look at them,” a boy said as he yanked his mother's hand.

“Look at that hat!” a woman said, pointing at Casillas' sombrero.

“They do get a lot of compliments for their hats,” their father said. “It is a magnet.”

The Garcias will miss the Battle of Flowers parade, but they said they have memories from several Fiesta events.